TikTok, A New Form of Communication or A New Complication?

Abstract

TikTok, a new form of video social media, has been on the rise recently. There has been much debate on whether TikTok is detrimental to our youth or if it is simply another social media app. This research project aims to analyze the history and design of TikTok's technology, discover how it is used, how it impacts users (specifically in mental health and body image), and how it is viewed as a medium (form of communication). This research includes information from not only published scholarly articles, but personal interviews/questionnaires involving many different creators on the app.